Actor Mel Gibson on Wednesday praised US authorities for securing the release of Mark Swidan, an American detained in China since 2012.
“He was wrongly detained for a crime he didn't commit, spent over 10 years in prison in horrible conditions, and now he's been released,” Gibson said in a self-recorded video.
“And I want to thank these people, especially the Texas Congressman, especially Ted Cruz. I also want to thank his attorney, Jason Poblete, who worked so hard to get this man released, and of course , Elizabeth Vargas, who covered this story several times, and Alison Weiner,” he added.
Suwidan was released along with Kai Li and John Leung in a prisoner exchange with Beijing.
“They will soon return home and be reunited with their families for the first time in years,” a National Security Council spokesperson said in a statement.
“Thanks to the efforts of this administration and diplomacy with China, all Americans unjustly detained in China have been able to return home,” the spokesperson said, referring to the People's Republic of China.
The Biden administration's efforts to bring back Americans detained overseas began after the Congressional Executive Committee on China sent a letter asking the president to prioritize the release of Americans detained domestically.
